Fund Groups

Awards for International Collaboration (AIC)

Proposal timeline for the 2019-2020 academic year:

Proposals are due on or before April 5,¬†2019

Awards are to be announced four to six weeks after due date¬†

Fund information:

Since the endorsement of the¬†V2C2,¬†Rice University faculty, staff and students have in many meaningful ways advanced the vision of a university closely connected to institutions and societies in¬†Asia,¬†Latin America, as well as other key regions. Campus collective efforts have expanded service and learning fellowships and projects, widened exchange agreements and activities with university partners, enhanced faculty research relationships, and created joint degree programs.

To build upon the robust network of partnerships, we now seek to strategically build multi-faceted, innovative, and visible collaborations with established OR potential Strategic Partner institutions ("SPIs") around the world. An overseas institution is considered as such if two or more collaboration models (described below) exist at the time of the proposal OR have been planned per mutual agreement¬†or¬†MoU:

Dual or joint degree programs¬†

Joint research centers

Student exchange per MoU

Multilateral ties with industry or government agencies (U.S.or foreign)

Jointly designed/taught courses and curricula¬†

Joint summer or spring break programs¬†

Jointly coordinated research seminars or workshops¬†

Consistent, purposeful mobility of faculty and/or students¬†

Collaborative activities to enhance graduate student interest

Other activities or models pertinent to the above¬†¬†

With the understanding that face-to-face interactions and discussions enrich and enhance the quality of pedagogy, exchange of ideas, and collaborative goodwill, we have established the Awards for International Collaboration (AIC)¬†to support travel-related expenses necessary for faculty members to catalyze or deepen ties with SPIs. There is a limited amount of funds available for these awards, and applications should limit their request to no more than $10,000. We hereby cordially invite such proposals from members of our faculty.¬†

Eligibility:

Full-time and research faculty members and full-time research fellows from all schools and institutes at Rice are eligible to apply.

Proposals may be submitted individually or by a group of faculty, though there is a preference for proposals which integrate interests and/or promote collaboration across various departments, schools, or centers.

Letters of support from department chairs and deans are recommended, but not required.

Review process:

A committee of referees assembled by the Office of the President¬†will consider and review all proposals. This committee will be comprised of¬†faculty and senior level staff from across the university (who are not¬†AIC applicants).¬†The committee will review each proposal to assess, in no particular priority, the:¬†

extent it aligns with the strategic priorities of the schools and university;¬†

commitment level of the faculty members, department or school involved;¬†¬†

significance and degree to¬†which it will create unique opportunities for students and faculty;¬†

probability that it will lead to sustained collaboration at the departmental level or wider;¬†

likelihood¬†it will lead to long-term external funding, including reciprocal support from the potential partner;

viability to deepen or expand collaboration with existing SIPs;

academic and institutional fit with potential SIPs; ¬†

probability to catalyze and launch new ties with potential SIPs;¬†¬†

innovative and/or entrepreneurial value.¬†¬†

How to apply:

Proposals must be submitted using this webform¬†by date above.¬†¬†Proposals should include the following documents in PDF format:

A project description in three pages¬†or less (in 12-point type),

Income/expense budget of the requested funds;¬†

Other financial or in-kind resources sought or acquired;

CV¬†for each applicant (three pages or less¬†per CV);

Plan or¬†strategy to¬†sustain the initiative post AIC grant; and¬†

Any current or pending financial awards¬†or grants for each applicant. ¬†

Upon all due consideration and final recommendations by the¬†committee, the President and Provost will inform¬†all applicants of the outcomes.¬†

Questions:

For questions or feedback, please contact¬†Ryan Kirksey, Senior Assistant to the President.